How do changes (like star ratings) affect multiple users?

[espd]

Similar to the post at http://www.shirt-pocket.com/forums/showthread.php?t=557, I have a related scenario:

I have a Mac mini I want to use as an iTunes server, streaming to two other computers -- mine and my girlfriend's.

Questions this raises:

1) If I rate something 5 stars, will it appear with that rating to her as well?

2) If she creates a playlist, will it appear on mine?

3) In other words, are we using the same preferences and settings?

4) Most importantly -- If I'm on my computer downstairs listening to Playlist A using netTunes, can she be upstairs listening to a Playlist Y, a totally different playlist, at the same time?

Optimally, netTunes would allow separate users to have separate settings such as ratings and volume levels, etc., but would share the same library of music files. Also, it would be pretty slick if you could choose to (or not to) apply your changes to the other person's settings. Such as globally applying imported album art, corrections to misnamed song titles, etc. But then being prompted with a "Do you want to share this change with other users?" message if you do changes that might not be wanted by the other user.

Looks like a cool product. Thanks in advance for the info.

[dnanian]

netTunes shows both of you the same UI -- the UI on the far side. It does not give separate playlists, since the idea is that the "server" is feeding audio to a music system that's attached to it... it doesn't "stream" at all.

If you and your girlfriend want to stream music to two different computers, you can simply use regular iTunes Playlist Sharing -- that should work fine.

[espd]

I see. The limitation of using regular iTunes sharing is that we can't control ratings and such.

What we want is to:
A) Share the same library of files, located on a separate host — the Mac mini.
B) Consolidate our libraries of music files without having to lose the ability to individually rate and sort and generally interact with iTunes the way we normally would.
C) Stream those files from the host mini via Airport.
D) Be able to separately create and control playlists, make separate ratings, play different playlists at the same time, without affecting the other person's ratings, etc.

I suppose we could consolidate the files on the mini, then run separate instances of iTunes that point to the "Music > iTunes" folder on the mini instead of on our local machines. But then I suspect we'll both be accessing the same "iTunes Library" and "iTunes Music Library.xml" files at the same time, which might cause problems and almost certainly conflicts.

Perhaps someone knows a way to point her copy and my copy of iTunes at different "iTunes Library" and "iTunes Music Library.xml" files, while pointing at THE SAME "Music > iTunes" folder?

[dnanian]

Yeah, you can't share the XML file, unfortunately: it's not safe. And while I understand what you want, it's just not possible to do right now without basically totally rewriting iTunes...

[espd]

Gotcha. Darn : (

Does that include not being able to use separate "iTunes Library" and "iTunes Music Library.xml" files?

[dnanian]

You could definitely share a whole drive of music. Realize, though, that some activities in iTunes cause files to move around, and that would confuse the "other person"'s iTunes.